The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
by Lyzzybelle
Summary: Hermione has a secret. OR Where Hermione has a secret talent and a penchant for playing cat burglar. Not epilogue compliant


The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Synopsis: Hermione has a secret.

(Where Hermione has a mission, a secret talent and a penchant for playing cat burglar). Goes canon divergent from book one. Not planning on doing a re-write, so will skip through the years fairly quickly. Not epilogue compliant!

**Chapter One: UNDECIDED!**

**The Sorting/First Year:**

"HERMIONE GRANGER!" the disembodied voice reverberated throughout the Great Hall and she took a steadying breath before standing. To hide the trembling of her fingers, she clasped her hands in front of her. Snickers and sly whispers barely heard accompanied her upon the walk down the aisle toward the chair at the center of the room.

"…at that hair. Honestly, surely she's heard of a good detangling charm!"

"…poor girl, she should never smile with those teeth…"

With a lift of her chin, she pretended not to hear but she filed the comment snide comments away for later. She was patient and, one by one, she would learn their secrets. Hermione was very good at finding them. Knowledge, after all, was power.

Besides, she had her mission to consider.

She reached the chair.

She turned and sat down, her brown eyes took a moment to scan the crowd of students. Immediately, she found her target – the dark haired boy with glasses. Few had yet to realize his true identity, but she knew that would change in a few minutes when it was his turn to be sorted.

Just before the hat was placed on her head, laughter rang out through the hall and she jerked her head to find the sound. A group of kids sat together, at the center a pale boy with white blonde hair at the center, flanked by two dark haired boys. He was sneering in her direction, leaning to left as he spoke to one of companions who snorted gleefully in response.

Across the room, she looked into his eyes and then she smiled. For a second he looked disconcerted but then the sneer was back on his face.

She had her mission, which she would complete. _Protect Harry Potter._

But, though she was here to work, she decided she would have a little fun too. The pale boy had made a mistake when he laughed at her and drew her attention. She would learn his secrets first.

The light weight leather fit upon her head and a voice immediately started speaking.

"_Well well well…where should we place you?"_

"_Wherever you would like, Mr Sorting Hat."_

"_Do you have a preference, my dear?"_

"_Not really. I have researched all of the houses and they all have qualities that would suit me well enough, I guess."_

"_Ah yes…I can see the thirst for knowledge you have…it is unquenchable, is it not?"_

"_Knowledge is power."_

"_Ravenclaw would give you that knowledge you seek, little one."_

"_If you think Ravenclaw would suit me, then that is where I will go."_

_Privately, she thought that there were other ways to get knowledge other than books._

"_Ohhh…yes, there is. Secrets…that is your thirst."_

"_The secrets of others will keep me free."_

"_You like to have power over others, little one?"_

"_Why not? I have seen what happens when one is powerless…"_

"_So jaded, for one so young."_

"_I will do what it takes to survive."_

"_Yes, yes…I can see that. The ambition. The drive. Slytherin – you would do well there."_

"_As well as any other, I suppose."_

"_You do not want to go to Slytherin?"_

"_I do not care. I want the house that will be help me with my…"_

"_Oh…you have a mission! How delicious. Intrigue has come to Hogwarts. Tell me, little one, tell me your mission."_

"_You cannot see it within my head?"_

"_Hmm…I sense the intent to complete your task, the desire to do well…but the details are sketchy. Won't you share?"_

"_I cannot. I swore an oath."_

"_And you would not break it?"_

_Hermione felt a rise of indignation at such a question. How dare…it?_

"_You question my honor?"_

"_Not anymore, little one. I see it clearly now. Nothing would make you break your word, would it not?"_

"_Damn straight!"_

"_I would say Hufflepuff. Loyalty is a trait they value above all others. You would do well there."_

"_If you wish."_

"_You have no opinion on the matter?"_

"_Well, I admit, I was relying on you to make this decision for me. Given your talents...I thought you would be able to tell me which house would best help me with my mission."_

"_The mission is important. I sense that…as well as…danger?"_

"_Important, yes. Danger? I…don't know."_

"_And if it were? Dangerous?"_

_She gave the equivalent of a mental shrug._

"_I can take care of myself and…any others if need be."_

"_Bravery. Gryffindor prize that trait."_

"_Oh dear."_

"_So you do have a preference?"_

"_Well if you call NOT wanting to be placed in a particular house a preference, then yes, I suppose I do."_

"_Not Gryffindor then."_

"_Not my first choice, but if it helps my mission…"_

"_Well, then dear, I guess I have only one thing to say…"_

"UNDECIDED!" bellowed the hat.

"That wasn't helpful at all." Hermione muttered as she hopped off the chair.

A whispered conference between the headmaster and the heads of the four houses followed, where Hermione found herself the object of many speculative glances. After another minute, the head master announced that they would try once more, after all of the others had been sorted.

It was difficult to curb her patience as she waited for the other children to be sorted. The pale blonde boy who had sneered at her earlier turned out to be none other than Draco Malfoy, which delighted her to no end. If he hadn't been at the top of her secret finding list then, he would have been now by his name alone.

_Draco. Dragon._

Coincidence? Most likely.

But when he walked by her on his way to the Slythern table, their eyes met once more and she couldn't suppress the shiver of excitement she felt.

She did not believe in coincidence.

Potter was placed in Gryffindor and that was when she accepted her fate. As the last name (ZABINI! SLYTHERIN!) was sorted, she rose once again and this time, the Great Hall was silent, her footsteps the only sound bouncing from the stone walls.

Once again, she sat in the hat. This time, she avoided the silver eyed stare of Draco Malfoy and looked for her target instead. Harry Potter stared back at the girl who caused more of a stir than he did.

"_It is clear to me, given your ambition, your drive and your desire to know that which others seek to hide, that your house is Slyth-"_

"_Gryffindor, please."_

"_Slytherin is the right house for you, little one. I see within you the desire to be place with the one who-"_

"_My desires are not the priority right now. Gryffindor, if you please."_

"_Very well, then child."_

"GRYFFINDOR!" There was a moment of silence then a smattering of lukewarm applause. A like a queen off to her beheading, Hermione lifted her chin and walked regally down the aisle.

Her robes changed to the Gryffindor red and gold and she tried not to think of how she would have looked wearing silver and green.

* * *

AN: A short beginning, I know. But hopefully it leaves you, gentle reader, wanting more! Please, lend me your thoughts!


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